Your First Garden

A Landscape Primer for New Home Owners

In this book, accomplished garden writer Judith Adam targets new homeowners in sterile, still-to-be-landscaped suburbs. Creating an attractive setting for a brand-new house is a high priority and hard to resist, as all improvements will add to the property's dollar value as well as the enjoyment of the new home.

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Summary

So you’ve just moved into a new space and there’s a blank canvas of yard on which to draw the garden of your dreams. But you haven’t a clue how to start, and you may not have all the time in the world to become an overnight expert (unless you’ve just retired – congratulations, and we aren’t jealous or anything).

Enter Judith Adam, a horticulturalist, landscape designer and most importantly journalist – someone who can write about landscape design and horticulture with great accuracy, precision and brevity. The slimness of Ms. Adam’s book is deceptive – full of the gorgeous photographs for which Firefly Press is known, it is nevertheless quite comprehensive and full of useful checklists for evaluating your space, soil and design plans.

Too much sun or shade in your garden? This book has sections on problem solving from light levels, soil types, pest-handling and watering needs. Ms. Adam includes short lists of “the best…” bulbs, ground covers, annuals, perennials (by month – handy!), shrubs, autumn and winter trees – among others - for quick reference or shopping guide. None of the varieties she mentions will be hard to find, nor are they likely to be hugely expensive, but will certainly give some immediate and future WOW factor to your space.

Yes, it does take some time to plan, but it’s ok – there are still three weeks left before the unofficial start of planting season – May 24th – and Ms. Adam thoughtfully includes Canada’s own hardiness zones for choosing the correct plants for our area. And when you’re ready to head off to a local gardening centre to pick up your soil and plants, Ms. Adam also includes lists of the most likely tools you’ll need for planting and maintenance, and transforming that blank canvas of a yard into an appealing and inviting addition to your new home.

Find Your First Garden (and other growing guides) at spl.bibliocommons.com.